Perfect Strangers (Just Walk Away)
by TheMack
Summary: CATFIGHT!! Jean and Yukio go at it over Logan. Jean Grey fans be afraid. Be very afraid. The Final Chapter to the Eye to Eye, Goodbye to Romance, and Beautiful Day story arc. Flame as much as you want. It's all in good fun...


Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. If I did, I would own Marvel. And if owned Marvel, I   
would've made Joe Quesada Editor-in-Chief a long, long time ago.  
  
Note: This is the final part to my Eye to Eye, Goodbye to Romance, Beautiful Day series. For those of   
you just tuning in, Wolvie's quit the X-Men to live in Japan with Yukio and Amiko.  
  
By the way, I've tried to keep this series fairly current with what's been going on in the comic books,   
which means, as of the last issue I read, Jean Grey has no telekinetic powers, only telepathic, and   
Psylocke has dumped Angel for Neal Shaara (God, I love that).  
  
  
Perfect Strangers (Just Walk Away)  
by  
TheMack  
  
"Can you remember, remember my name?  
As I flow through your life  
A thousand oceans I have flown  
And cold spirits of ice  
All my life  
I am the echo of your past  
  
I am returning the echo of a point in time  
Distant faces shine  
A thousand warriors I have known  
And laughing as the spirits appear  
All your life  
Shadows of another day  
  
And if you hear me talking on the wind  
You've got to understand  
We must remain  
Perfect Strangers..." --Deep Purple  
  
Logan finished his fourth beer. He sat at his usual table in his favorite bar in Tokyo. The "Irashai" was   
a little run down bar near the docks. The name means "welcome" in Japanese and Logan frequently   
took it up on its invitation. It was a bar where he could be alone with his thoughts. More importantly, it   
was a bar that did not serve that god-awful Japanese beer Sapporo. Its proximity to the docks insured   
that it had a good supply of imported beer, and Shinji, the owner, kept Logan supplied with his favorite   
beers. He lit a cigar. He glanced over to Shinji, who promptly brought him another beer. Logan raised   
the bottle in silent toast to friends long gone. Behind him, the door to the bar swung open. Moments   
later a familiar scent found its way over to him. Jean Grey soon seated herself across from Logan.   
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Neither knew quite what to say. Finally Jean leaned back in her   
chair and shook her head in exasperation.  
  
"Funny isn't it, Logan? Last time we saw each other it was in a bar. And now we meet again in   
another bar, that's just as sleazy and run down as the other one. Last time you said 'good bye'. I   
wonder what you'll say this time."  
  
"Well Darlin', first thing that comes to mind is, of all the sleazy, run down bars in Tokyo, why'd ya have   
to walk into this one?"  
  
  
  
"Reference to "Casablanca". Very nice, and in a way very appropriate, I suppose. Does this mean that   
I'm the Ingrid Bergman to your Humphrey Bogart?"  
  
"Hardly, Darlin'. Ingrid was a blond. Though as I recall in the movie she did ditch ol' Bogey to go   
back to her husband who she thought was dead."  
  
"Never were one for subtlety were you, Logan?"  
  
"Never saw the point. Darlin'. What brings ya to Japan?"  
  
"The Professor wanted to touch bases with Sunfire with regards to a situation concerning Magneto. He   
sent Storm to speak with him. I tagged along."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"To see you."  
  
"Didn't ya just say somethin' about subtlety, Darlin'?"  
  
Jean reached over and picked up Logan's beer and finished it for him. She placed the empty bottle in   
front of Logan.  
  
"I guess I picked up a number of bad habits from you."  
  
Logan shook his head. He took a long drag from his cigar. He stared directly into Jean's eyes as he   
exhaled. Jean stared back as the cigar smoke danced around her. Logan ground his cigar out against   
the edge of the table.  
  
"Yukio tell ya where ta find me?"  
  
"Yes. Storm is over there with your family right now."   
  
Jean fell silent for a second. She turned and studied her surroundings. It really was a ratty bar. As she   
continued her examination of the bar, she prayed that Logan would not pick up on how difficult it had   
been for her to say those words. Your family. They're just words. But they cut like a knife into Jean.   
Once upon a time, Logan had been part of her family. Now he wasn't. He was no longer part of the   
X-Men. He had his own family now. And he was no longer a part of Jean's life. Jean turned back to   
Logan.  
  
"You have a beautiful family, Logan."  
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
Logan got up out of his chair.  
  
  
  
"Well Red, I guess we oughta head back."  
  
Jean nodded and got up. Logan paid his bill and headed towards the door. Jean followed him. As he   
opened the door and started to head out, Jean grabbed his arm from behind.  
  
"I missed you."  
  
Logan didn't respond. He sort of nodded his head in acknowledgment and headed out. They walked   
back to the Yashida Family compound in silence.  
  
Storm, Yukio, and Amiko were seated in the living room having tea when they returned. When they   
walked into the living room Yukio got up and kissed Logan.  
  
"So I see that Jean found you at your usual haunt."  
  
"Yeah, she did." Logan ran his hand through his hair.  
  
"Rough day at work?"  
  
"Yeah. I swear Canadian passports are too flamin' easy to forge."  
  
Logan slumped in his recliner. He lit a cigar and inhaled deeply. It was a Cuban, and unlike in the   
States, quite legal and easy to get in Japan. He looked at the others who sat patiently, waiting for him to   
finish his story.  
  
"Customs nabbed a couple o' Russians tryin' to smuggle in fifteen bricks o' heroin. They were carryin'   
fake Canadian passports. Turns out they're Russian Mob from Moscow. Alexi Federov's boys.   
They're part o' this racket smugglin' smack from the Mid East to some local Yakuza boys. We got   
their number now. Japan's finest is goin' to close in and shut down the pipeline pretty soon. An' since   
official Canadian documents have been forged, I'll be goin' in to "assess" the damage to, uh, the   
Canadian bureaucracy. Once this all goes down, an' them boys get outta the hospital, Japan'll deport   
'em back to Russia."  
  
Storm raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Get out of the hospital, Logan?"  
  
"Yeah. Funny thing, 'Ro. These two fellas were tellin' me an' my Japanese counterpart Toshio Azami   
everythin' they knew, an' the clumsy bastards kept fallin' down."  
  
  
Amiko stifled a giggle. Storm shook her head. Logan was still Logan, after all. The rest of the evening   
was spent catching Logan up on all that had happened with the X-Men since he had left. Logan   
seemed to be particularly amused at the news that Psylocke and Angel had broken up and that   
Psylocke was now going out with Neal Shaara. The brief reunion was interrupted by a phone call.   
Following the phone call, Logan excused himself from the group. Duty called and he had to go back to   
the Canadian Embassy to see to some affairs. He promised that he'd be back shortly. Shortly after he   
left, Yukio turned to Amiko and asked her to show Storm the large garden in the west wing of the   
Yashida Family compound. Storm glanced over to Jean before getting up. She knew what was   
coming. Storm smiled sweetly as she took Amiko's hand and they left the room together. Jean and   
Yukio sat for a few moments in uncomfortable silence. Finally, Yukio spoke.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm visiting an old friend of mine. There's nothing wrong with that."  
  
Yukio laughed. She got up and walked over to Jean, leaned over and hissed in her ear.  
  
"Logan is more than an 'old friend' to you. Don't insult my intelligence." Yukio walked back to the   
center of the room. She was visibly angry.  
  
"Where's your husband, Jean? Why didn't he come to visit too?"  
  
"Scott had pressing matters to attend to, and couldn't make it."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
"I wonder if he even knows that you're here."  
  
Jean was taken aback. She looked away angrily. It was true, though. Scott did not know that she was   
here. She hadn't told him, it would've been too difficult to explain. Yukio smiled wickedly. She knew   
by Jean's reaction that she was right. She had the advantage and decided to press it.  
  
"You're not being fair to him, you know? And you're not being fair to Logan, either. You made your   
choice. You married Scott. And yet you can't let go of Logan. I wonder how Scott feels about that?   
It must be hard for him, knowing that his wife has feelings for another man."  
  
Jean got up and stood angrily in front of Yukio.  
  
"You know nothing about me or my husband. So why don't you just shut up about things you know   
nothing about!"  
  
Without warning and with blinding speed, Yukio slapped Jean. The blow knocked Jean to the floor.   
Yukio put her foot on the side of Jean's head and pressed it to the floor.  
  
"I may not know much, but I do know that you no longer have your telekinesis to defend yourself. And   
your telepathy is not much good against someone who, through years of martial arts training, knows   
how to focus her mind in such way as to defend against mental attacks. If you don't believe me, how   
come you didn't anticipate my attack? You were standing in front of me, and yet you didn't sense my   
intentions."  
  
Yukio released her hold on Jean. Jean slowly sat up and rubbed her cheek, which was still smarting   
from Yukio's blow. She looked up at Yukio who stood looking down on her.  
  
"I know more than you think, Jean. All the years I've known Logan, and now that we live together, do   
you really think he hasn't told me about you? I know how he felt about you. And I know that you   
were -and obviously still are- attracted to him quite strongly. But you made your choice. You married   
Scott. And yet you persisted in leading on Logan. For a while, he thought he still had a chance with   
you. But eventually, Logan realized what your true feelings were, and that they were clear to everyone   
but yourself. He accepted it, and moved on. I wonder if you ever knew the anguish you caused? Not   
just for Logan, but for your husband as well. He must feel terribly inadequate as a husband and a man.   
How else would he feel? His wife is in Japan chasing after another man, a man that you do not love. If   
you did love Logan, you would be with him and not Scott. And yet, here you are."  
  
Yukio knelt in front of Jean and looked her straight in the eyes.  
  
"You know, it would save everyone a lot of pain and trouble if you would just be honest with yourself   
for once in your life. Why don't you finally figure out exactly how you feel?"  
  
Yukio got up and started to walk out of the room. She stopped at the entrance to the hallway and   
looked back at Jean.  
  
"You should have figured things out for yourself a long time ago, Jean. Now, there are other issues to   
consider. You're married and Logan has a family. And like it or not, Logan will never leave us."  
  
Yukio left. Jean slowly picked herself up off of the floor. Her cheek was still sore and her ears were   
ringing with Yukio's words. Why was she here? She headed outside. The cool Japanese air felt   
soothing to her skin. She glanced at the full moon that illuminated the grounds within the walls of the   
Yashida Family compound. It stared back at her accusatorily. Jean shook her head. She knew exactly   
how she felt. Logan was a dear friend to her, and Scott was her husband. There was nothing more to it   
than that. But if that was true, then what the hell was she doing here? Why couldn't she let Logan go   
and live his own life? Why had she grabbed his arm at the bar earlier and whispered those words? A   
gentle wind began to blow. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the branches of a nearby tree begin to   
sway and dance rhythmically to the song of the wind. From the back of her mind she felt the tug of an   
old memory straining to be free. There was something about the way those tree branches were   
moving... and then suddenly the memory was free and Jean Grey Summers remembered.  
  
********************************************************************************************************  
  
It was a Friday night at the X-Mansion. It was deserted save for Jean, Storm and Dazzler. Professor   
Xavier was at some science conference and the others were at some pool tournament at Harry's   
Hideaway. In the other words, it was a perfect night for Girl's Night at the mansion. The three ladies   
had seated themselves in the kitchen and were engaged in a lively discussion when an interloper of the   
male persuasion interrupted them. Logan walked into the kitchen and headed for the refrigerator.  
  
"Evenin' ladies."  
  
The three women eyed the intruder with mischievous grins on their faces. Storm spoke first.  
  
"Why are you not playing pool with the others, Logan?"  
  
"'Cause they're at that Harry's joint. An' you know I hate that place, 'Ro."  
  
It was Dazzler's turn next.  
  
"So what have you been doing all night, Logan?"  
  
"That ain't your business, now is it, Alison?"  
  
The women watched as Logan fetched a cold six-pack of beer out of the refrigerator. Jean shook her   
head.  
  
"Now Logan, surely you can find some more useful way to spend the evening other than drinking beer."  
  
"There ain't no better way to spend an evenin', Darlin'. 'Sides it don't look like ya'll are doin' much   
o'anythin' useful anyways."  
  
Dazzler crossed her arms and glared at Logan with feigned annoyance.  
  
"Well Mr. Logan, I'll have you know that we have been busy discussing pressing matters of extreme   
importance to the immediate future."  
  
"Boys?"  
  
"You betcha." Alison laughed out loud, Ororo giggled, and Jean grinned. Logan just shook his head   
and muttered something about kids. He started to head out when Jean stopped him.  
  
"Oh, come on Logan, you mean to tell me you've never spent a night out with your friends talking about   
girls?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"And now I suppose you are going to tell us that you've never been in love. No, not Logan, he's too   
tough for silly things like that."  
  
Logan looked back at the three women. He knew that if he didn't respond they would be more than   
happy to spend the rest of the evening hounding him.  
  
"I was once. Long time ago."  
  
Alison leaned forward in interest.  
  
"Really? What was she like?"  
  
Logan stood in silence for a few moments. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a cigar and   
lit it. He took a long drag and exhaled slowly as he stared into empty space.  
  
"She had a temper, was jealous, an' she'd turn to ice. But when she laughed, the world was mine. We   
used to walk hand in hand just before sunset, an' the sunlight would turn her skin to a shade o' gold I   
ain't ever seen before or since. An' she had long black hair that'd just dance to a song that was   
whispered by the wind. Then she'd smile an' there'd be rainbows in her eyes."  
  
He turned to leave when Storm stopped him.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Logan didn't bother to turn around to reply.  
  
"She died."  
  
Logan walked out of the kitchen, leaving three very flushed women behind him.  
  
Later as the other residents of the mansion found their way home to retire for the night, Jean found   
herself restless. Scott had went straight to bed upon returning, muttering something about never playing   
pool again with 'that lucky bastard'. Longshot had won the tournament, of course, and was celebrating   
his victory with Alison. Storm had gone off to bed, leaving Jean all by herself. She went outside and   
leaned against the railing of the porch. It was a cool Indian summer night. The leaves had just started to   
change color and were glistening in the moonlight. She breathed deeply, tasting the crisp air.  
  
"Shouldn't ya be getting' yer beauty rest there, Red?"  
  
Jean spun around. Logan was seated on the rail in the far corner of the porch. He leaned against the   
wall of the mansion. There were five empty bottles of beer lying on the porch next to him and another   
half empty bottle in his hand.  
  
"You have a bad habit of sneaking up on me, Wolverine."  
  
"I've been sittin' here all night, Darlin'. Yer the one who came out here and didn't see me."   
  
Jean walked over to him and sat in the nearby lawn chair. She studied his face. It was weather beaten,   
rugged, and leathery. But it was also honest. And he had those eyes. They seemed to have the ability   
to look directly into a person's soul. She remembered the night's earlier exchange.  
  
"Was what you said earlier true?"  
  
"Yeah. Every word."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"That she died."  
  
"Not as sorry as I am, Darlin'."  
  
"What was her name?"  
  
"Does it matter, Red? Her name would mean nothin' to ya. Ya didn't know her. It'd be just a name.   
But fer me, she'll always be more than a name, an' I just can't bring myself to reducin' her to just bein'   
a name."  
  
"You must have really loved her."  
  
"Yeah, I did."  
  
Logan finished his beer. He placed the empty bottle in front of him on the rail. He turned and looked at   
the moon.  
  
"Ya know sometimes when I think about her, the ache inside hurts so bad I think I'm bein' eaten alive   
from the inside out. But then there other times when I think about her an' I remember all the good times   
we had an' I can face another day. 'Cause I know that she's still alive in me. I can feel her sometimes   
an' it gives me peace. An' I know she's waitin' fer me on the other side. An' when it's my time to go   
an' I cross on over, she'll be there. An' then we'll be together an' we'll burn the sky."  
  
Logan jumped off the rail and onto the porch. He turned back towards the moon.  
  
"Ya hear me, Fox Darlin'? We'll burn the sky... when it's time fer me to die."  
  
He turned and faced Jean.  
  
"Well, I'm gonna head on in, Red. Be seein' ya."  
  
"Logan?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Fer what?"  
  
"For talking to me. I know you are a very private individual. I'm just grateful that you feel comfortable   
enough to be open with me."  
  
Logan studied her face for a moment. He then turned and headed back into the mansion. Jean   
remained in her seat. She gazed at the night sky. She felt different somehow. It was a new feeling, one   
she had never felt before. It was nice. A gentle breeze began to blow. Out of the corner of her eye   
she saw the branches of a nearby tree begin to sway and dance rhythmically to the song of the wind.   
Funny how the moment she had felt different the wind had begun to blow. Maybe it was a wind of   
change. Something had changed. She couldn't quite put her finger on what. Jean got up and headed   
back into the mansion. She'd figure it out in the morning.  
  
***********************************************************************************************************  
  
But you didn't figure it out did you? Jean shook her head. Why hadn't she seen the truth before? Why   
did it take so long for her to figure it all out? And then suddenly, Jean had an epiphany. She knew why.   
She had been afraid. All those years, she had been afraid of what she felt that night so long ago. She   
wasn't afraid of the emotion, but of the changes it would have brought in her life and the lives of all her   
loved ones. Truth be told, she was still afraid. But at least now she accepted the truth that she had   
denied for years. It's just that now it was too late.  
  
"Ya okay, Red?"  
  
Jean looked up to see Logan standing before her. He placed his hand on her cheek.  
  
"I see Yukio had some words with ya. Can't say I didn't expect it. A pistol an' a firecracker, that one.   
Just like you."  
  
Jean started to cry.  
  
"Logan, I really screwed up..."  
  
Logan gently wiped away Jean's tears.  
  
"Don't think that, Darlin'. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be."  
  
"What do we do now?"  
  
"Nothin'. Go home to yer husband, yer family, an' the X-Men. Japan's my home now."  
  
"What about us?"  
  
"There is no 'us'. Never was, never will be."  
  
Jean looked back at the Yashida Family compound and then returned her gaze to Logan.  
  
"You really love them, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, I do. They're my family. Even that jackass, the Silver Samurai. He's like the kid brother I   
never got to beat up on."  
  
Jean laughed. Somehow, even when she was feeling her worst, Logan found some way to make her   
smile.  
  
"I don't know if I can do this, Logan. I don't know if I can accept never seeing you again. We've   
been through so much together."  
  
"That was the past, Darlin'. The lives we lived back then are dead an' gone. Now we got new lives to   
live, an' new futures to build. Now, we're just perfect strangers."  
  
"So what do I do now, Logan?"  
  
"Just walk away, Darlin'. Just walk away."  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
"A faded picture from your heart  
Was all you left for me  
I'm still waiting, standing here  
To see what I could see  
  
Your love I borrowed just like time  
It wasn't mine to keep  
But the love we shared  
I thought was there  
And now you have to leave  
  
Just walk away  
There'll be no more tomorrows  
Just walk away  
You won't be there for me  
From far away  
I tried to say I'm sorry  
But I can't find a way  
(To) just walk away  
  
Couldn't see for I was blind  
The hurt you hide inside  
I didn't mean to break your heart  
I wish it had been mine  
  
And as another day unfolds  
Don't know what it means   
Was it love we had?  
Or love gone bad  
Still the love we need  
  
Just walk away  
There'll be no more tomorrows  
Just walk away  
You won't be there for me  
From far away  
I tried to say I'm sorry  
But I can't find a way  
(To) just walk away..." --Dokken.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
Yeah, so it sucked. They can't all be home runs, now can they?  
  
Was I a little mean to Jean? Yes, I was. Sorry, it just fit the story.  
  
By the way this probably going to be the last story I write for a while; graduate school is getting set to   
kick my ass for a little while. When I do return (and I shall) the stories are going to be more in the vein   
of "Renegade" rather than what you just read (i.e. cynical and full of political rhetoric). And unless I'm   
flooded with requests to the contrary, I probably won't be writing anymore Jean/Logan stories. But I   
will leave you with a little taste of what's to come: "Gambit, meet John Constantine." And if you don't   
know who John Constantine is, well, you just ain't cool. Peace - TheMack  
  
And finally, just to piss some of you off even more, here's my review of comics for the year 2000.  
  
Best Comics:Best Writer:  
1. Top 101. Alan Moore  
2. Extraordinary League of Gentlemen2. Brian Azzarello  
3. Promethea3. Garth Ennis  
4. Hellblazer4. Mike Carry  
5. Tom Strong5. Warren Ellis  
6. Planetary6. Jamie Delano  
7. Lucifer7. Frank Cho  
8. Punisher/Preacher (tie).8. Matt Wagner  
9. Liberty Meadows9. Grant Morrison  
10. Outlaw Nation10. Christopher Priest  
  
Reasons not to give up on Marvel, because they seem to actually want to put out good books now:  
1.Punisher (Yeah, Garth!!)  
2.Deadpool  
3.Ultimate Spider-Man  
4.Grant Morrison is going to be taking over the X-Men in 2001 (fuck yeah!)  
5.Erik Larsen and Rob Liefeld no longer have anything to do with Wolverine (oh, the agony…)  
6.Ultimate X-Men (hey, the first two issues smoked)  
7.Marvel Knights   
  
  



End file.
